First, a Hawaii Pacific University student alleged Hanohano berated him at a public hearing.

And then, in a letter to House Speaker Joe Souki, State Land Director William Aila cited several instances where Hanohano allegedly made inappropriate remarks to employees at the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Aila wrote that at one meeting, Hanohano allegedly said an employee was "responsible for genocide." In another, she allegedly asked the person if he or she "agreed that land was stolen from many Hawaiians."

Aila said House leadership asked him to document what his colleagues were telling him about Hanohano.

Hanohano said she is not concerned about the controversy, and that in her two decades serving as an adult corrections officer, she has seen tougher challenges.

"So my first inclination was to request a meeting with her to find out what is going on. Did one of my staffers say something to upset her? Did I say something to upset her? She, for one reason or another, canceled these meetings that we had set up over a period of about two weeks," Aila said.

"He called for a meeting and I was so busy. This is our crunch time. This is our pa'ahana time. We have to ... do whatever we need to move bills forward, and he just wen ho'opunipuni and told a lie that I canceled a meeting. I never cancel meetings," Hanohano said.

Hanohano said if people's feelings were hurt, "So be it," adding that the student did not come prepared to her committee hearing and he didn't know who she was.

"The only reason you call people racist is they're the ones that are racist," Hanohano said. "The word 'racist' does not exist in my vocabulary."

Hanohano says she's no racist.. But she's not backing from anything she's said... Despite the controversy it's generating.. Good evening, I'm Yunji de Nies. And I'm Paula Akana. The criticism is mounting against Hanohano tonight... From an H-P-U student to the Director of the D-L-N-R! We talked to the representative tonight ... She says she's just doing her job. 6:50 I HAVE TO ASK OUTSIDE THE BOX QUESTIONS? IF THEY CALL IT THAT IN THE WESTERN WORLD :59 Nobody will question whether Representative Faye Hanohano sometimes step out of the box. But a growing number of people are going beyond questioning her tactics... They're criticizing.. And harshly! In this letter to House Speaker Joe Souki.... William Aila cites several instances where Rep. Faye Hanohano allegedly made inappropriate remarks to DLNR staffers.... Aila writes at one meeting.... hanohano allegedely said the staffer was "responsible for genocide." and at another.... asked the staffer if they "agreed that land was stolen from many Hawaiians." We spoke with Aila--who's attending a Coral reef task force in Washington DC. AILA 27 so my first inclination was to request a meeting with her to find out what is going on did one of my staffers say something to upset her? Did I say something to upset her? and she for one reason or another canceled these meetings that we had set up over a period of about two weeks. hanohano 4:11 HE CALLED FOR A MEETING AND I WAS SO BUSY THIS IS OUR CRUNCH TIME. THIS IS OUR PAAHANA TIME. WE HAVE TO KUMAUMAU, KAUMAUKAKAU KUE AND DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO MOVE BILLS FORWARD AND HE JUST WENT HO'OPUNIPUNI AND TOLD a lie.. I CANCELLED THE MEETING? I NEVER CANCEL MEETINGS.36 48 "and so we've been going to house leadership and saying look we have some issues with how she's treating staff" Hanohano says respect goes both ways.. fh 6:43 BUT WHEN AGENCIES COME TO MY COMMITTEE WHEN THEY DONT COME MAKAUKAU. PREPRARED. That goes for everyone .. Including an HPU student who says Hanohano berated him in a public hearing. FH6:50 I UNDERSTAND PEOPLES FEELINGS AND IF YOU KNOW THEY'RE FEELINGS WERE HURT SO BE IT. :55 BUT LIKE I SAID HE WASN'T MAKAKAU. THIS WAS HIS FIRST HEARING AND HE didn't KNOW WHO I WAS. 7:04 7:44 WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY YOUR RACIST. I SAID TO THEM AND TURN THE TABLES. 7:50 THE ONLY REASON YOU LABLE PEOPLE RACIST IS THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE RACIST. 7:58 THE WORD RACIST DOES NOT EXIST IN MY VOCABULARY. 8;01. Hanohano says she's not letting the controversy stop her from representing her consitutuents and getting bills passed. She credits the more than two decades she spent as an Adult Corrections Officer with keeping her tough---and

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